The Ministry of Jal Shakti opened the “Vision for Sujalam Bharat” Summit 2025 in New Delhi, bringing together representatives from central ministries, states, technical institutions, community groups and award-winning grassroots contributors. The two-day event at Bharat Mandapam aims to advance a national dialogue on integrated water management, sanitation and sustainable practices.

Union Minister of Jal Shakti CR Paatil said the summit, organised in coordination with NITI Aayog, seeks to ensure that local insights are woven into national planning. He noted that India’s water challenges stem from having 18 per cent of the global population but only 4 per cent of the world’s freshwater. Rapid urbanisation, land-use changes and climate variability, he said, underline the need for expanding water-conservation structures with active community involvement.

The Minister highlighted that ongoing initiatives such as the Jal Shakti Abhiyan and Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari are driving large-scale conservation and recharge efforts across the country. He added that the Namami Gange Programme is supporting river restoration in the Ganga basin, while the Jal Jeevan Mission and Swachh Bharat Mission are improving drinking water access and sanitation outcomes to reinforce long-term water security.

During the inaugural session, the Minister released the Jal Sanchay Jan Bhagidari 1.0 compendium, showcasing successful groundwater recharge practices and community-led conservation models. He also launched an assessment report on the ecological status of the Barak River Basin and unveiled the Ganga Pulse Public Portal, a digital platform designed to improve public access to real-time river data and strengthen participatory monitoring.

He said that the SAMRIDHI-MCAD programme is modernising command area development through pressurised irrigation systems and scientific water management. He further noted that the Catch the Rain campaign for 2025 has facilitated the creation of 22.5 lakh conservation structures and more than 42 lakh plantation activities.

Minister of State V Somanna said the summit’s objective is to build a unified national framework that draws from grassroots experience and institutional expertise to strengthen India’s long-term water and sanitation resilience.

News source: PIB